Brugmansia

Chapter 8🌹

      After a long day at the castle, my mind was a haze of spell formulas, and everything else that had been crammed into my head. My body felt heavy as I trudged toward the teleportation tree with Alohi at my side, her usual smirk playing on her lips.

"Rough day?" she asked, her tone lighter than the exhaustion weighing on me.

"Understatement," I muttered, glancing at the glowing circle ahead. I was still dreading what was to come—being dropped back at Xenos' place. It wasn't like I could just stay at the castle, though I wished I could. There was no way I was ready to face him again.

Alohi pressed her hand to the teleportation tree, activating the circle beneath us. As the magic flared to life, I sighed. "You're staying, right?" I asked hopefully, but I already knew the answer.

Alohi shook her head, giving me a half-apologetic look. "Sorry, cutie, I've got something important to do. You'll survive."

The world blurred around us, and when the light dimmed, we were standing outside Xenos' tavern. The warm glow of the place clashed against the cold evening air. I turned to Alohi, desperation rising. "Please, Alohi, can't you stay? Just for tonight?"

Her expression softened, and for a moment, I thought she might agree. But then she sighed and shook her head again. "No can do. Trust me, I'd love to hang out, but duty calls."

Before I could beg any further, she patted my shoulder and teleported away, leaving me standing alone in the cold with no one but Aurora fluttering beside me.

"Well, that went well," Aurora muttered sarcastically. I shot her a look, my heart sinking as I pushed open the tavern door. The familiar warmth of the place washed over me, but it did nothing to ease the knot in my chest.

Xenos was at the bar, his back to me, a glass in hand. He didn't even look up as I entered. Typical.

I was still fuming from this morning, from being tossed through teleportation like some forgotten package. My exhaustion was a slow burn in the back of my mind, but underneath it, a spark of something else ignited. A thought. A wickedly perfect idea.

My lips curled into a mischievous grin, and I stepped lightly, slipping past him to where the bottles of his favorite liquor were stored. He hadn't even noticed me yet—too absorbed in whatever drink he was nursing.

"Let's see how you like this," I whispered to myself as I carefully tipped the bottle over, letting the liquid spill into the sink. Every drop felt like a tiny victory.

I wiped my hands on my cloak, my heart pounding with the thrill of getting back at him. Before he could notice, I darted back up the stairs and into my room, slamming the door shut behind me. The lock clicked, and I leaned against it, breathless with triumph.

Then I heard it.

A crash downstairs. A low, furious growl. My stomach twisted. I'd barely had a moment to savor the victory before Xenos' heavy footsteps pounded up the stairs, each one louder than the last. My heart raced as I backed away from the door, knowing it wouldn't keep him out.

The door blasted open, his magic ripping it from its hinges. I stumbled back, my hands trembling as Xenos strode in, his eyes blazing with fury. For a second, I thought he might actually hit me, the anger rolling off him in waves.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" he snarled, stepping closer. I pressed myself against the wall, my heart hammering in my chest.

"Y-You're too harsh on me!" I shouted, the words spilling out before I could stop them. "If you were just a bit kinder, I wouldn't have done any of this!"